Why?
by El loopy
Summary: Set during episode 1x11 'Bloodlines'. Damon and Elena bicker about what to do after she saves his life. Potential missing scene. Two-shot. One-sided Damon x Elena.
1. Chapter 1

Why?

They waited in the dark, against the warehouse wall whilst Damon's body let out loud snaps and he groaned. The smell of the fuel was overpowering and with all the alcohol in her system she was beginning to feel sick.

"So what's the next move?" she asked a little sarcastically. She was mad at him. He'd kidnapped her and driven her to Georgia and then she'd been kidnapped again because he'd killed someone. A someone that she had actually just started to like, and she was only just about forgiving him for, but here it was coming up again. No good deed...she thought sourly.

"Well," he replied, with a slightly strained voice, "once my body's finished playing dot-to-dot, _we_ are going to a motel."

"A motel?" she repeated incredulously.

"Yes." She couldn't tell if he was cranky because he'd had someone get the jump on him in front of her or because he was in pain.

"Damon, I'm not going to a motel with you."

He gave her his best scathing look.

"Why not?"

"I'm _drunk_!" she replied like he was stupid.

"I thought your tolerance was waaaay up here," he mocked, mimicking her earlier gesture with a smirk. She glared him.

"I'm also with Stefan," she added and Damon raised his eyebrows as if to say ' _oh, are you? I thought you two were fighting?'_ "And I don't trust you." This had a hint of venom and his smirk widened.

"Me or yourself?"

He was so full of it. Elena folded her arms and leaned back.

"I'm not going to a motel with you Damon."

The vampire winced at another joint snapping back into place and tilted his head back against the wall, shutting his eyes.

"In case you hadn't noticed Elena, I need a shower and change before something catches fire, namely me. _You_ ," how did he manage to say that in a tone that made her feel tiny, "need to sleep off that alcohol and you are _not_ doing it in my car."

He was right, she admitted to herself grudgingly, but she still didn't like it.

"Are you worried I'm going to seduce you?"

She gave a start at the question and found his eyes resting on her, a devilish smile on his face.

"I should have let him kill you," she said without malice.

"Not going to be the last time you wish _that_ ," he warned flippantly. There was a niggle of a question and he let it bubble up against his better judgement.

"Why didn't you?"

Elena waited a beat before looking at him again. There was a scrutiny in her eyes he felt stripped him bare. He pushed against it. She seemed surprised by his question.

"I need a lift home."

He made a game-show noise. "Incorrect. Try again."

She was clearly irked by his response.

"Because Lexi's boyfriend shouldn't stoop to your level."

"Now, we're getting closer," he announced patronisingly.

"Because nobody deserves to die that way," she continued, "not even murdering, kidnapping, untrustworthy people like you."

"Ouch." He pretended to wince. "Don't hold back on my account."

"Because it would hurt Stefan," she continued heedlessly and he felt a shiver of surprise. Was she really that naive or did she know something he didn't?

"And because it would hurt _me_."

This shock was warm and light and he was surprised enough to look directly at her. Bad move. Her eyes pierced him, nailed every bad thing he'd ever done into the light. "I like you Damon, for some reason. I believe there is some good in you. I'd like to see more of it."

"You'll be waiting a _long_ time..."

"Still..."

She just shrugged and got to her feet, brushing down her jeans.

"Where's this motel then?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Final chapter. Thank you for all the responses to the first chapter =) This is still supposed to be part of the same missing scene. Hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Damon had compelled his way into the nearest motel. He _claimed_ that they only had double bedrooms free. She didn't believe him.

Letting out a frustrated groan Elena tangled her hands in her hair. What was she even _doing_ here? How'd she get into this mess? Her head was still swimming slightly so she shut her eyes and held it until the bathroom door clicked open.

"You all right?"

She was always surprised at how caring he made his voice.

"What'd you care?" she mumbled and looked up at him; immediately staring. He'd put trousers back on at least but the rest of him was bare. He was definitely showing off and combined with the ruffled wet hair…

Damon was good at schooling his facial features so he didn't show any reaction when he heard her heart accelerate and caught her appraising glance. Interesting. She was not so immune then as she would like him to believe. _'Stefan's girl,'_ his mind whispered treacherously and he pushed it away.

"I care…" he said slowly, patronisingly, and then paused. "Actually, you're right. I don't."

He strolled out of the bathroom and began pulling on a shirt. He nodded at the bed.

"You're supposed to be asleep. Don't want you dozing off on the drive tomorrow. It would make it so…peaceful."

She glared at him.

"And you will be sleeping…"

"I won't." He didn't go into the fact that the huge healing he had to affect meant that he needed blood, now, and unless she was offering…

Elena lay down on the bed fully clothed, not that he'd expected anything less.

He waited until he thought she was asleep and was about to slip out when he heard her mumble, "I look like her."

He stilled. No point pretending he didn't know who she meant, he'd eavesdropped on enough of their conversations.

"Yes." He was surprised by the thread of pain that seeped into it. He's have to get rid of that.

There was a long pause before she spoke again. Her voice heavy with sleep.

"Am I a game to you?"

Damon strode silently around the edge of the bed and looked down on her. Elena's eyes were shut, her breathing even and deep. She hovered between waking and sleeping, in the instant where she would remember none of this in the morning, unsure if it had been a dream. She wouldn't ask him.

"Why would you be?" he asked, low and melodic.

"Because of her," she sighed into the pillow, "because of Stefan."

He felt that strange compulsion then, like a tug in his chest, just to be honest, just to tell her the truth. He felt it more keenly around her, gave into it much more readily, because it was Elena that asked.

"You were. Not anymore."

Her eyelids fluttered like she was trying to wake up and he felt a strange thread of panic that prompted his hand to reach out and stroke the skin by her eyes. She settled again and he felt the relief. He didn't want to remove his hand, couldn't seem to manage to, but instead let it lightly whisper over the softness of her face.

"Why?" Even almost asleep she sounded confused, so unaware of the effect she had on others, her brow furrowing slightly in that way it did and his fingers brushed over the lines.

"Because you cared."

He was glad she was asleep. He was glad she couldn't hear the pain and the warmth and the longing in his voice. He remembered the instant it all changed, standing in her kitchen, trying to get a rise out of his brother, trying to ruin their happiness anyway he could, wanting her to kiss him just so he could rub it in Stefan's stupid face that Katherine's doppelganger would take either of them as well. Then she had moved to him, her eyes deep with some emotion and she had told him she was sorry.

"What for?"

"Katherine. You loved her too." She might as well have punched him in the stomach. No one had ever…it had always been about Stefan, poor Stefan…and yet she, who had every reason to side with his brother, understood. She who looked so like the woman he loved, but wasn't. That's when she had become Elena to him. That's when she stopped being a game.

"Damon?"

Her eyes were open and she was frowning up at him sleepily. His smile was gone as he looked down at her, removing his hand.

"Go back to sleep Elena." He headed towards the door. "I'm going out." He flashed her a feral grin. "Don't wait up."

She was asleep before he was out the door.


End file.
